My Life in High Heels

by Loni Anderson

The actress breaks her silence about her marriage to and divorce from Burt Reynolds, recounting her struggle to keep her family together and discussing men, life, motherhood, and her career. Reprint.

Genres: Memoir, Biography, Biography Memoir, Autobiography, Tv, Nonfiction, Adult

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 2, 1995

About the author

Loni Kaye Anderson was an American actress. She is best known for playing receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982), which earned her nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and two Emmy Awards.

Reviews

[American Maid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book years ago at a library book sale. It's been on my shelf ever since. When I started decluttering my apartment in the New Year, I was ready to put it in the give away pile. But something had attracted me to it way back when, so I decided to open it to a random page first to see if I might want to still give it a try. She drew me in immediately.

I found the recounting of her early life (the first third of the book) to be extremely interesting. Especially since her outer self was so different than her inner self and so different from everyone else around her.

She has lived quite a life, which is worthy of a biography, but I found some of the kiss-and-tell parts of the book awkward. I wish there had been less time spent on the play-by-play of her relationship with Burt Reynolds, but I now understand that this book was meant as a rebuttal to what had been reported in the media about their relationship at the time, which seems to have been steered by Reynolds' unkind spin on events.

The excerpt I found most interesting in the last part of the book was the compilation of bizarre behavior Reynolds displayed in breaking up with past partners. Anderson didn't learn about these until after becoming a victim of this behavior herself. Here are some of them:
Lucie Arnaz -"...he left one morning saying he was going off to Hawaii but would leave his car with her. And he just never came back to get it. Finally she trooped over to his house to see what was going on -- and there was Sally Field."
Adrienne Barbeau - "...she went out to her driveway one morning, and there, stuck under the car's windshield wiper, was a note from Burt ending their relationship."
Susan Clark - "Burt took her down to Florida to meet his parents. She thought she was his fiancee; in fact, that's the way he introduced her to Fern and Big Burt. But when they came back to California together, they made love t her apartment, he left, and she never saw or heard from him again."
Lorna Luft - She met and started dating Burt when he was making Lucky Lady "and he assured her that hen it came time for the premiere, they would attend the gala event together. ... She returned to LA (from being on tour) for her birthday, she was reading a newspaper in back of her limo and discovered a picture of Burt and Dinah attending a Lucky Lady screening. She heard nothing from him after that, although he'd been invited to her birthday party. The day after the party, she opened her front door, and there on the stoop was a box. Inside was a small jeweler's case - with a card that read, 'Happy birthday, Lorna, love, Burt' -- and inside he case was a ring. A big, masculine-looking ring, large enough for a man's hand. One of his rejects, she decided. She scratched out the message on the card, scrawled the word WRONG! cross it, packed the hole thing up, and drove it over and stuffed it into Burt's mailbox."
Dinah Shore - "Burt was dating both Lucie and Lorna as he was getting ready to leave Dinah. And when he did leave Dinah, he simply changed all his phone numbers and didn't contact her for a very long time afterward."
Tawny Little - "When she was dating Burt, he broke up with her for Sally; then he came back to her; hen he became involved with Dolly Parton; then he came back to Tawny; then came the fateful New Year's with me, and she never heard from him again."

Loni's story wasn't much different, although more tragic. After being married for a few years and adopting a child together (she was ready to have infertility treatments or adopt another child just before he filed for divorce) she was working in CA and had planned to meet him in NC for what he called "a second honeymoon," but he called to say editing on his project in FL wasn't going well, so they couldn't go to NC. She suggested, since everyone was coming to CA the next week, that she stay there, but he insisted she come to FL to be with him. They had this perfect evening as a family and then he said he needed some time alone. She wasn't sure what was happening, but he left the house and the next morning she was served with divorce papers, hours later news helicopters swarmed the house gate. Turns out he'd lured her to FL because filing papers there would be more advantageous to him.

All this craziness after she'd helped him get off of drugs at least twice, he'd been physically violent with her and during the previous time they'd been together he'd actually pulled a gun out of his bedside table and tried to hand it to her, saying "Here, why don't you kill yourself and do us all a favor." Despite all the horrible things he put her through afterwards, divorce was probably the best thing that could have happened for her peace of mind and physical safety.

[Ann-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clear that she's trying to clear up the lies that spawned from her very public, very messy divorce from Burt Reynolds, this proved to be an interesting read. She comes off as down-to-earth, and very likeable. I learned that she totally nailed Gary Sandy for two years during "WKRP in Cincinnatti" (which surprised me, because I always took him for a Jan Smithers-type).

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eek...a tad embarrassed to admit I read this. But I did. It's not as truly atrocious as it could have been.

If you don't like Burt Reynolds now, you will likely hate him after reading this book.

[John Peel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loni Anderson played a number of characters in various TV roles, but her most famous role was when she married Burt Reynolds. He subsequently divorced her, and they went through an acrimonious set of court hearings. This is her side of the story, and it seems pretty believable - though she does end up painting herself as something of a slut.

[Karen Dodkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. A lot of damage control and maybe we are not getting the whole story.

[Mediaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent memoir that covers most of the star's private life but comes up short when dealing with her on-screen work. Anderson has no trouble getting blunt about the men who mistreated her (including her horrible ex-husband Burt Reynolds) and she uses this to "set the record straight" from what she claims are lies in previous year books from Reynolds and a woman who was a onetime love interest.

She gives a lot of depth regarding her start in Minnesota and how she went from a dark-skinned brunette (turned down for roles due to her looking too Hispanic or Native America!) that was a Sunday School teacher and child bride, to a brassy blonde who married too many times and had no problem getting into bed with some famous men on first dates. While I appreciate her pro-faith and pro-life stances, it would have been nice to have heard her regret some of the promiscuous choices she made, including cheating with married men and living with her WKRP costar Gary Sandy, who went ballistic on set when they broke up.

There are two big flaws in the book: too much time spent on disgusting drug addict and abuser Burt Reynolds (about 60% of the book, even though he only took up a few years of her life); and that there are almost no stories about WKRP. She gives more details on the productions of her other flop TV shows than she does the classic radio sitcom.

It's well-written, fast paced and entertaining, until she gets stuck in the vindictive Burt Reynolds mode--which gets old fast. Even though her story is incomplete because it was written so long ago it's worth reading as long as you don't mind the depressing stories of an abused woman who just seems to tolerate it instead of standing up for herself and using those high heels against her violent lovers.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's truly shocking how fascinating this autobiography is. Poor Loni had quite a time of it, even before hooking up with the slap-happy (in the negative sense of the term) Burt Reynolds. I don't remember the specifics, but I seem to recall someone she knows having their mother murdered right in front of them, or something equally pleasant. I don't know, it's been a couple years. I should probably purchase this book.

And she doesn't completely eviscerate Burt, who at the very least doesn't seem to have brutalized her on a daily basis, and in the mid-80s underwent a bad experience on a movie set wherein all the bones in his face were pulverized after being hit with a prop chair that was supposed to have splintered upon contact. I guess if one day you're a sex symbol, and the next day your face is a flappy pink sac of skull powder, you might be entitled to bouts of grumpiness, if not bouts of harming your spouse.

[Tracy Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

My brother, who throws away NOTHING, gave me this book to read just as I was leaving on vacation so I took it along. I won't pretend it's a deep book (although it is in parts), but it kept me spellbound for 3 full days. I suppose because Loni Anderson's life and approach to everything is so different from my own, that I found her story to be really interesting. My whole family loved "WKRP in Cincinnati", so it was nostalgic hearing about television and the industry at a time when I spent a lot of time watching it. Most people at the time of publication would have purchased this book because of the Loni/Burt scandal, but I found her own story before Burt Reyonolds was far more interesting. After you read this book, I recommend looking up her entry on Wikipedia and seeing who she is married to now - that's a longsuffering man!

[Heidi Khoury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always a big fan of WKRP. When I saw Loni recently passed away, I was interested to learn more about her, Burt Reynolds and WKRP. It was an interesting read, I sort of skimmed the early stuff. If her story is true, and I think it is, Burt was not kind to women, a horrible addict and lying manipulator. She didn’t write her story in a way that makes her look innocent. Many of her personal decisions were suspect which makes for an interesting read. RIP

[Ilena Holder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this on the "new arrival" shelf in the Chattanooga library. Had not heard about Loni writing her autobiography. But then I had recently gone through a traumatic layoff at work and was (again) enduring a horrendous daily commute. The book was GREAT. Enjoyed reading what it is like to arrive in Hollywood and having to hit the sidewalks looking to start your career. I chuckled reading about her early life, especially one story where the teenage boys would circle her family home just waiting for her to come outside or them catch a glimpse through the windows of her beauty. Her dad would be pulling his hair out. She said Burt was cheap on many angles. One thing she emphasized that every time she flew out to visit him on a movie set, she always had to purchase her own round-trip tickets. He never offered to buy them. A book came out at almost the same time written by Burt. Their stories very wildly, so either one or both of them were stretching the truth on many matters. As years went by, I would tend to believe her. But there will always be some doubt in my mind.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow, I really liked this book. I often read autobiographies and some I take a long time to get through but her life has been in turmoil since she was a teenager and it was a fast read. Not a good judge of men. I think she gets clouded with the love part and doesn't truly see the person till it's too late. She gives an honest outlook on addiction.

I always liked Burt Reynolds but not a fan now. I in a sense feel sorry for him but he's a creep! Not nice to any women and I'm glad she wrote this book. No desire to read his as anyone with an addiction lies. Very sad such a talented actor and he is a jerk because of his drug addiction.

Recommend reading.

Kudos to Loni for being such a strong woman all her life. Hard lessons to learn in life by our choices we make.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book and an exceptionally good read. Loni Anderson details her life from early childhood showcasing of her beauty through winning nearly every contest she enters to the traumatic dealings with Burt Reynolds. She deals with stupendous highs when he is healthy and charming, and prolonged lows when pain-killer prescription drugs affect his psyche, turning him dark, suspicious, accusatory, and sometimes violent, and was responsible for sabotaging his tv series, “Evening Shade.” The on-again, off-again roller-coaster ride of a romance has her walking through life numb, disillusioned, betrayed. It’s a real page-turner, proving “truth is stranger than fiction.”

[Cynthia Bemis Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

As celebrity memoirs go, this one contained candor, detail and relevance. Anderson wrote not just about her Hollywood life and career, but also many of the family experiences that informed her decision-making. It's an easy read that I found difficult to put down. While it was written partly as an official response to the long and turbulent Burt Reynolds chapter of her life, it's held up well.

I read this as research for my podcast, Advanced TV Herstory and have to say I'm interested in knowing what she's been up to lo these 23 years since publication!

[Scott Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed this book. To me the story was told in three general parts: (1.) Loni's early life, her hard work, and the beginning of her professional career; (2.) Loni's time around the hit television show, WKRP in Cincinnati; and (3.) The remaining part of the book focused on bashing on Burt Reynolds—(much of it was well deserved).

A favorite part that I really enjoyed was the lavish lifestyle spent by both Loni and Burt. Those two people can spend money!!

[Reeds]

Boils down to 'let go of crazy sooner rather than later.'
He seemed to want an arm-candy wife in a museum that he visited sometimes,
and showed off publicly.
He was a gaslighter as well as a lot of other unpleasant things.
It'd be hard to watch his movies now without looking for signs of the crazy.

[Amethyst Twilight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sent to me from the library of congress based on my Preferences and I’m so glad I read it! The book was meant as a means of clearing up rumors about the authors, messy divorce with Burt Reynolds, but for me, it showed the actors true colors. I recommend this book to anybody who truly cares about dv issues.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this years ago...

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

She had a hard life. Disappointing.

[Janene Massieh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found a signed copy of this book and started reading it at the bookstore. Having grown up in the area where she lived it was like a snapshot into lives that were being lived around me. I remember the tabloid stories. Growing up in the area somehow made you feel like you were a part of the whole scene-but most weren’t-there was a lot of striving.

I like that she stayed hopeful in the chaos and that she still held onto the faith she was brought up in. Reading it was like talking to a friend. A redemption story.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE reading books written by movie stars from the 1980s. What a well written, fun, and interesting story Loni had to tell. Great read highly recommend.

[Diana Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fast read! I enjoyed reading about her life and loves..and the Hollywood people I grew up with along the way!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, read this for the Dirty Dishers group trying to find the most self-absorbed or dingy passages to read aloud and there were none. I ended up really liking Loni and came away with a new understanding of the volatility of "B.R." (which is what Loni calls former husband and wife beater Burt Reynolds.)

[Tracy Collier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can hear her voice throughout this biography. She had a co-author but these seem like Loni's words. She is kind and generous to people who have hurt her but still seems to tell the relatively unvarnished truth. She gives grace and forgiveness without seeming preachy in the process. Glad I read it!

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I thought it would be. She's made some very bad choices in men, and if what she says is true (especially about Burt Reynolds), she's been to hell and back. She seems to have retained her sense of humour.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, gossipy autobiography of Loni Anderson, with plenty of dirt on Burt Reynolds, for those of you interested in that sort of thing. Which I was.

[Suzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another look at someone else's life.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok book. It was interesting to read how she became who she is today. Had a bit of an eye opening experience learning about Burt Reynolds.

[Kelly Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read.

[☯Lilbookworm☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

insightful.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting read about Loni Anderson's life including her 3 marriages.